Alex Lawson pledges to raise small business tax cut to 25 per cent
Mayoral candidate Alex Lawson announced a plan to raise the city's small business property tax discount from 15 per cent to 25 per cent, at a cost he puts at $8.4 million a year.
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Mayoral candidate Alex Lawson announced a small business plan on October 7, 2026, including a pledge to raise the city's property tax discount for small businesses from 15 per cent to 25 per cent, at a cost he puts at $8.4 million a year, CTV News reported.
The City of Ottawa introduced the small business property tax discount in 2022. CTV News reported that it provides a 15 per cent reduction phased in over two years. Lawson says it reached 15 per cent by 2023 and was then frozen. "Business pays almost a quarter of Ottawa's property tax. Over the last two years it brought in about four cents of every new tax dollar. When the base doesn't grow, the rate goes up on everyone," Lawson said in his platform, as reported by CTV News.
What the plan includes
Lawson says he would raise the small business property tax discount from 15 per cent to 25 per cent with no phase-in, in his first budget. His campaign puts the cost at $8.4 million a year. This is a figure his campaign produced; voche.me has not independently checked it.
Lawson also says he would scrap patio fees entirely, including the first-time review fee and processing fee.
He says he would create a "Report Red Tape" portal online and as a 311 option, with a public tracker of the status and outcome of each report. He would also ask city staff to produce a quarterly report listing the top ten red tape complaints and what changed.
Lawson says every major city project would get a "business impact check" before it starts. Utilities and developers would have to pay for lane closures by the day rather than a flat fee. He says he would let businesses on a street under construction for more than three months defer property taxes and repay them interest-free, and that he would ask the province whether the city has the authority to do so.
What other candidates have said
Incumbent mayor Mark Sutcliffe says that if re-elected he would maintain the current small business tax reduction and eliminate patio fees, CTV News reported. CTV also reported that Sutcliffe has already announced a dedicated small business and Business Improvement District support team.
Jeff Leiper has not made a specific small business tax pledge, but has said he would reverse the city's return-to-office mandate for city employees, arguing the policy could hurt suburban businesses, according to CTV News.
Voters can compare all 14 mayoral candidates on the Ottawa 2026 candidates page. Read more about Alex Lawson on voche.me. Voting day is October 26.
Questions this story answers
What is Alex Lawson's small business tax plan?
Alex Lawson, a candidate for Ottawa mayor, announced on October 7, 2026 that he would raise the city's small business property tax discount from 15 per cent to 25 per cent with no phase-in, in his first budget, according to CTV News. The City of Ottawa introduced this discount in 2022, and CTV News reported that it provides a 15 per cent reduction. Lawson says the cost would be $8.4 million a year, a figure he describes as a quarter of one year's new tax growth. This is his own stated figure. Read more about Lawson at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/alex-lawson
What did Lawson say about patio fees?
Lawson's plan, reported by CTV News, includes scrapping patio fees entirely, including the first-time review fee and the processing fee. No cost figure for this was reported. This would apply to businesses applying to the City of Ottawa for patio permits.
What is the red tape portal Lawson is proposing?
Lawson says he would create a "Report Red Tape" portal online and as a 311 option, with a public tracker that would include the status and outcome of each report, according to CTV News. He would also ask city staff to produce a quarterly report listing the top ten red tape complaints and what changed. These are Lawson's own stated plans.
What does Lawson propose for businesses during city construction?
Lawson's plan includes a "business impact check" before every major city construction project starts, according to CTV News. He says utilities and developers would have to pay for lane closures by the day rather than a flat fee. He also says businesses on a street under construction for more than three months should be able to defer their property taxes and repay them interest-free after the work ends. He says he will ask the province whether the city has legal authority to do this.
What did Mark Sutcliffe say about small business taxes?
CTV News reported that incumbent mayor Mark Sutcliffe says he would maintain the current small business tax reduction and eliminate patio fees if re-elected. Sutcliffe has also announced plans for a dedicated small business support team at city hall, and he says he would allow new businesses to defer property taxes interest-free in their first year of operation.
What did Jeff Leiper say about small businesses?
CTV News reported that Jeff Leiper has not made a specific tax pledge for small businesses, but said he would reverse the city's return-to-office mandate for city employees, arguing the policy could hurt suburban businesses. Leiper has also said he would create a program that matches empty downtown storefronts with small businesses or community organizations on short-term leases.
Who else is running for mayor of Ottawa?
According to CTV News, 14 candidates are on the City of Ottawa's list for mayor. In addition to Alex Lawson, they are: Queen Divine Priya Amber Bakshi, Zed Chebib, Bernard Couchman, Suraj Harish, Jeff Leiper, Geoff Nicholas, Josh Rachlis, Neil Saravanamuttoo, Ali Shayvard, Jacob Solomon, Mark Sutcliffe (the incumbent), Amjad Ali Syed, and Peter Westaway. See all candidates at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor
When is voting day in the Ottawa municipal election?
Voting day in the Ottawa municipal election is October 26, 2026. An advance voting day is October 16, with voting places open from 10 am to 8 pm. Special advance voting days were held October 1 to 4. Voters choose the mayor, one city councillor per ward, and school board trustees for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the Ottawa Catholic School Board, and the two French-language school boards.
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